INTERPOL team in Turin to support security for Winter Olympics

A team of INTERPOL officials is in Turin, Italy to support the international security effort protecting the 20th Winter Olympic Games, which take place from 10-26 February.

The team will provide security forces with ready access to INTERPOL’s international criminal databases – such as stolen travel documents, fingerprints, DNA profiles and photographs of known criminals – and provide assistance in the event of any security threat or attack.

Working alongside Italian authorities and officers from 23 other countries, INTERPOL’s liaison team will expedite checks of its databases and respond to urgent messages and queries from police in member countries via I-24/7, INTERPOL’s electronic communications system, in the event of a major criminal or terrorist act.

During the Winter Olympics, INTERPOL will give the highest priority to all messages and queries concerning the games and will be ready to issue Orange Notices to alert police of disguised weapons or parcel bombs, if necessary.

INTERPOL has taken an active role in reinforcing security during the games. Turin’s top security official, Prefect Goffredo Sottile, met with INTERPOL officials last December to discuss co-operation on security, and INTERPOL criminal analysts compiled a threat assessment for Italian authorities prior to the start of the games.

'It is clear that the Italian law enforcement agencies and authorities involved in organising the Olympic Games have done all that anyone could expect in making these games as safe as possible for competitors and spectators,' said Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. 'Extensive security measures have been put in place, and the global law enforcement community will continue to provide their full support throughout this event.'

One of the world’s largest sporting events, the Winter Olympics in Turin bring together more than 2,500 athletes from 84 countries to compete in 15 different sports. Organizers expect more than 1 million visitors, and some 9,000 police are expected to patrol the various sites around the Turin area, where the events take place.

INTERPOL offered similar support during the Summer Olympics in Athens and the European Football Championships in Portugal, both in 2004, and will assist German officials during the football World Cup in June 2006.